US5018979A — Magnetic visual display

Claim 1

Independent Claim 88 words

A magnetic marking apparatus, comprising: an enclosure having a plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces; a dispersion medium having a plurality of randomly oriented, magnetically active flakes contained within said enclosure; and a magnet outside said enclosure having a magnetic field, said magnetic field having a plurality of flux lines, said flakes aligning along said flux lines when said magnetic field is displayed to said flakes, said dispersion medium containing aligned flakes having light transmission characteristics different from said dispersion medium containing said randomly oriented magnetically active flakes.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 88 words

A magnetic marking apparatus, comprising: an enclosure having a plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces; a dispersion medium having a plurality of randomly oriented, magnetically active flakes contained within said enclosure; and a magnet outside said enclosure having a magnetic field, said magnetic field having a plurality of flux lines, said flakes aligning along said flux lines when said magnetic field is displayed to said flakes, said dispersion medium containing aligned flakes having light transmission characteristics different from said dispersion medium containing said randomly oriented magnetically active flakes.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 12 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said magnetically active flakes include nickel.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said flakes have an aspect ratio having at least two of the height, length or width measurements of about 5:1 or greater.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said flakes have an aspect ratio having at least two of the height, length or width measurements of about 10:1 or greater.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transparent surface area is deformable to the touch.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transparent or translucent surface is planar.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said enclosure has two spaced, parallel planar surfaces.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dispersion medium includes a thixotropic agent.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 112 words

A magnetic display panel, comprising: an enclosure having a front and a rear surface, with said front surface and said rear surface having a transparent or translucent area, said rear surface spaced from said front surface to form a liquid sealing space; a dispersion medium sealed within said liquid sealing space, said dispersion medium having disposed therein a plurality of randomly oriented, magnetically active flakes; and a magnet outside said enclosure having a magnetic field, said magnetic field having a plurality of flux lines, said flakes aligning along said flux lines when said magnetic field is displayed to said flakes, said aligned flakes changing the light transmission characteristics of said dispersion medium.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 112 words

A magnetic display panel, comprising: an enclosure having a front and a rear surface, with said front surface and said rear surface having a transparent or translucent area, said rear surface spaced from said front surface to form a liquid sealing space; a dispersion medium sealed within said liquid sealing space, said dispersion medium having disposed therein a plurality of randomly oriented, magnetically active flakes; and a magnet outside said enclosure having a magnetic field, said magnetic field having a plurality of flux lines, said flakes aligning along said flux lines when said magnetic field is displayed to said flakes, said aligned flakes changing the light transmission characteristics of said dispersion medium.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 28 words

The panel of claim 9, wherein said flakes have an aspect ratio having at least two of the height, length or width measurements of about 5:1 or greater.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

The panel of claim 9, wherein said flakes have an aspect ratio having at least two of the height, length or width measurements of about 10:1 or greater.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 99 words

A method for creating an image, comprising: providing a dispersion medium having a thixotropic agent; providing a plurality of magnetically active flakes; mixing said magnetically active flakes within said dispersion medium; providing an enclosure having at least one transparent or translucent areas; distributing said dispersion medium within said enclosure; randomly orienting said magnetically active flakes; providing from outside said enclosure a magnetic field having a plurality of flux lines; displaying said magnetic field to said enclosure; and creating an image visible through said area within said dispersion medium by aligning a portion of said flakes along said flux lines.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 99 words

A method for creating an image, comprising: providing a dispersion medium having a thixotropic agent; providing a plurality of magnetically active flakes; mixing said magnetically active flakes within said dispersion medium; providing an enclosure having at least one transparent or translucent areas; distributing said dispersion medium within said enclosure; randomly orienting said magnetically active flakes; providing from outside said enclosure a magnetic field having a plurality of flux lines; displaying said magnetic field to said enclosure; and creating an image visible through said area within said dispersion medium by aligning a portion of said flakes along said flux lines.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of erasing said image by redistributing said dispersion medium within said enclosure, said erasing step randomly orienting said magnetically active flakes throughout said dispersion medium.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 13, wherein said erasing step is performed by applying pressure against said enclosure, said enclosure deforming during application of said pressure to contact and redistribute said dispersion medium.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 13, wherein said erasing step is performed by shaking the enclosure such that the dispersion medium is redistributed within said enclosure.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 13, wherein said erasing step further comprises the steps of providing an erasure means within said enclosure and moving said erasure means to contact and redistribute said dispersion medium within said enclosure.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 13, wherein said erasing step comprises discrete erasing of said image.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said enclosure comprises two spaced parallel transparent or translucent surfaces, each of said surfaces allowing viewing of an image therethrough.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 33 words

The panel of claim 9, wherein said front surface and said rear surface comprise a transparent or translucent area, said front surface and said rear surface each allowing viewing of an image therethrough.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 122 words

A magnetic marking apparatus, comprising: an enclosure having a plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces; a dispersion medium having a plurality of magnetically active particles contained within said enclosure; and a magnet outside said enclosure having a magnetic field such that application of said magnet to a first of said transparent or translucent surfaces causes movement of said magnetically active particles proximate said first surface which creates an image viewable through said first surface but not through a second of said transparent or translucent surfaces and such that application of said magnet to said second surface causes movement of said magnetically active particles proximate said second surface which creates an image viewable through said second surface but not through said first surface.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 122 words

A magnetic marking apparatus, comprising: an enclosure having a plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces; a dispersion medium having a plurality of magnetically active particles contained within said enclosure; and a magnet outside said enclosure having a magnetic field such that application of said magnet to a first of said transparent or translucent surfaces causes movement of said magnetically active particles proximate said first surface which creates an image viewable through said first surface but not through a second of said transparent or translucent surfaces and such that application of said magnet to said second surface causes movement of said magnetically active particles proximate said second surface which creates an image viewable through said second surface but not through said first surface.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces is two spaced, parallel, planar surfaces.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 75 words

A magnetic marking apparatus, comprising: an enclosure defining a single liquid sealing space and having a plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces through which said liquid sealing space is viewable; a dispersion medium contained within said liquid sealing space having a plurality of magnetically active particles; and a magnetic field selectively applicable to a portion of said dispersion medium sufficient to cause movement of said magnetically active particles in said portion of said dispersion medium.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 75 words

A magnetic marking apparatus, comprising: an enclosure defining a single liquid sealing space and having a plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces through which said liquid sealing space is viewable; a dispersion medium contained within said liquid sealing space having a plurality of magnetically active particles; and a magnetic field selectively applicable to a portion of said dispersion medium sufficient to cause movement of said magnetically active particles in said portion of said dispersion medium.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 76 words

A magnetic marking apparatus, comprising: an enclosure having a plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces; a dispersion medium contained within said enclosure having a plurality of magnetically active flakes; and a magnetic field selectively applicable to a portion of said dispersion medium sufficient to cause alignment of said flakes in said portion of said dispersion medium so as to form an image viewable through a said surface, said image being erasable by manually shaking said apparatus.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 76 words

A magnetic marking apparatus, comprising: an enclosure having a plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces; a dispersion medium contained within said enclosure having a plurality of magnetically active flakes; and a magnetic field selectively applicable to a portion of said dispersion medium sufficient to cause alignment of said flakes in said portion of said dispersion medium so as to form an image viewable through a said surface, said image being erasable by manually shaking said apparatus.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 154 words

A magnetic marking apparatus, comprising: an enclosure having first and second spaced, parallel, planar transparent or translucent surfaces and a liquid sealing space therebetween; a dispersion medium sealed in said liquid sealing space having a thixotropic agent and a plurality of magnetically active flakes with an aspect ratio having at least two of the height, length or width measurements of about 5:1 or greater; and a magnet located outside said enclosure with a magnetic field having a plurality of flux lines and being strong enough so that application of said magnet to a point on said first surface causes said magnetically active flakes proximate said point to align along said flux lines, thereby changing the light transmission characteristics of said medium proximate said point from those distal said point and creating an image proximate said point when said dispersion medium is viewed through said first surface, but not when viewed through said second surface.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 154 words

A magnetic marking apparatus, comprising: an enclosure having first and second spaced, parallel, planar transparent or translucent surfaces and a liquid sealing space therebetween; a dispersion medium sealed in said liquid sealing space having a thixotropic agent and a plurality of magnetically active flakes with an aspect ratio having at least two of the height, length or width measurements of about 5:1 or greater; and a magnet located outside said enclosure with a magnetic field having a plurality of flux lines and being strong enough so that application of said magnet to a point on said first surface causes said magnetically active flakes proximate said point to align along said flux lines, thereby changing the light transmission characteristics of said medium proximate said point from those distal said point and creating an image proximate said point when said dispersion medium is viewed through said first surface, but not when viewed through said second surface.

Claim 32

Independent Claim 151 words

A method of forming an image, comprising the steps of: providing a dispersion medium having a thixotropic agent; providing a plurality of magnetically active flakes with an aspect ratio having at least one of the height, length or width measurements of about 50:7 or greater; suspending said flakes in said dispersion medium; providing an enclosure having a plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces and a liquid sealing space adjacent thereto; sealing said dispersion medium in said liquid sealing space; applying to said dispersion medium from outside said enclosure a magnetic field having flux lines; and aligning said flakes proximate said magnetic field along said flux lines, whereby said alignment changes the light transmission characteristics of said dispersion medium containing the aligned flakes so that the contrast between the dispersion medium containing the aligned flakes and the remainder of the dispersion medium produces an image visible through said transparent or translucent surface.

Claim 33

Independent Claim 151 words

A method of forming an image, comprising the steps of: providing a dispersion medium having a thixotropic agent; providing a plurality of magnetically active flakes with an aspect ratio having at least one of the height, length or width measurements of about 50:7 or greater; suspending said flakes in said dispersion medium; providing an enclosure having a plurality of transparent or translucent surfaces and a liquid sealing space adjacent thereto; sealing said dispersion medium in said liquid sealing space; applying to said dispersion medium from outside said enclosure a magnetic field having flux lines; and aligning said flakes proximate said magnetic field along said flux lines, whereby said alignment changes the light transmission characteristics of said dispersion medium containing the aligned flakes so that the contrast between the dispersion medium containing the aligned flakes and the remainder of the dispersion medium produces an image visible through said transparent or translucent surface.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-05-27	1994-11-26	1995-05-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-05-27	1998-11-26	1999-05-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-05-27	2002-11-26	2003-05-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Magnetic visual display

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